Meet Tim Hyams – CEO, The Army Benevolent Fund

Tell us more about The Army Benevolent Fund…

The Army Benevolent Fund was established in August 1944, as the Army’s national charity, to provide a lifetime of support to serving soldiers, former soldiers, and their immediate families (including the bereaved) when they are in need, such they are afforded the opportunity to avoid hardship and enjoy independence and dignity. That purpose is enduring and last year saw the ABF spend some £9m in benevolence, supporting over 75,000 members of the Army family in 51 countries around the world. Our youngest beneficiary was one day old; our oldest was 104 years old.

We genuinely are here for soldiers, for life.

The ABF delivers that support in three ways:

• An individual grants programme, supporting the regimental and corps charities to meet the immediate needs of their people. This remains our priority.
• Making grants, on behalf of the Army and its regimental and corps charities, to charities and organisations that provide specialist support to those in need. Last year that saw us fund 86 organisations to deliver evidenced outcomes for the Army family.
• Funding organisations that carry out Army-related casework and investing in the Casework Management System; again, on behalf of the Army and its regimental and corps charities. And in a wider sense, as the Army’s official national charity, playing a key role in the military welfare ecosystem through collaborating with, and providing support and advice to, other military charities and organisations such as COBSEO and Veterans Scotland.

In all of this, we are very clear there is a value in service and that those who serve in the Army gain values and skills from their service, which means they are in most cases net contributors to society. However, the reality is that there are around 75,000 people each year who fall into need. These soldiers, former soldiers, and family members really do require the ABF’s assistance; our role is to help them overcome their challenges and move forward with their lives.

How does being a Member of Cobseo enhance the support that your organisation is able to provide?

Being a member of Cobseo (to which the ABF pays the collective membership fees for the regimental and corps charities) and sitting on the Executive Committee is key to ensuring the needs of the Army family are represented and understood across the sector and into government. Whilst there are themes that span across the Armed Forces community, the reality is much of that which defines an individual’s experiences and needs fundamentally is shaped by the specifics of service in the RN, RAF or, in our case, the Army.

How does being a part of the Cobseo Executive Committee support your organisation?

The Executive Committee, its clusters, and membership of Cobseo more broadly also allows us to gain valuable insight and understanding from sector-wide discussion. And, as the Army’s national charity, and through our collaboration with the Army’s other central charities (ACF, AFF and ADT) and its regimental and corps charities, we are able to act as a voice at the Executive, contributing to what always is a collaborative and considered debate, focused on addressing the needs of those within our community who are in need of support. In all of this, I believe firmly Cobseo has a key role in ensuring the nation understands and supports the value that those who are serving and who have served contribute to society.